In The End
by mentepura
Summary: Mini-story about Rachel staying in Lima instead of going to New York.


It happened like everyone said it would. Like Rachel dreamed of since the day Finn Hudson stepped on stage with her and became her leading man. A lot of obstacles fell in their way, but Rachel knew they were meant to be. Knew from the bottom of her heart that they would end up together. Senior year wasn't easy. Quinn still held a lot of animosity towards them. Rachel couldn't really blame her, but it didn't hurt to squeeze Finn's hand a little tighter every time she was around. Rachel didn't want to feel the stirrings of insecurity because Finn had chose her, but sometimes they lingered there. Just at the edge of her fingertips. Almost all of their teammates seemed okay with it. A couple weren't really surprised - Santana and Brittany being that couple - while others simply seemed to be happy that a decision was finally made. There were only two that didn't like it all: Quinn and Puck. At least Rachel knew what Quinn's issue was. Puck she never figured out. He kept staring at her, like he was trying to tell her something but she didn't understand. She finally managed to corner him in an empty classroom before they were interrupted by Artie, who only came by to tell Puck that Lauren was looking for him. Puck stormed off, and Rachel never got the chance to ask him about it again. Prom had come and gone. Rachel watched as Quinn finally took the stage as Prom Queen and Kurt took the stage as Prom King, this time with no jokes or pranks pulled. She smiled, happy for Kurt though she could have been jumping up and down because she didn't have to watch Quinn and Finn dance. She let out a sigh, and then grinned as Finn led her out on the dance floor. It had been a perfect evening that ended with a perfect kiss and a perfect promise of forever. Graduation seemed like a blur. One day they were all sitting in Glee and the next they were tugging at their gowns and readjusting the caps on their heads. Rachel, who had been excited because her and Finn had made plans for the summer, stood to the left of the stage waiting for her name. A silly, sudden feeling twisted in her stomach but she blew it off. There was so much ahead, and she was anxious to get started. It was almost Christmas when Rachel brought up New York to Finn. They had spent their entire summer together, and by the end of it Finn had gotten a job in Burt's shop alongside Puck and Rachel was no longer a virgin. She was ready to move forward with their plans of leaving Lima behind for bigger things. Of getting her career started on Broadway, to become the next great star. She even had enough money saved for two plane tickets. Somehow though, Finn convinced they should stay a little longer. He told her wanted to save up more money so that they could get a really nice apartment, and not have to worry about asking their parents to help. Rachel smiled, caught up in the romanticism that it didn't occur to her what had happened. Especially not when Puck told her she was being stupid and she bit back by telling him to mind his own business. It was six months before Rachel realized they wouldn't be leaving any time soon. Finn was comfortable at the garage. He was happy. He took Rachel out on dates, kissed her softly, and made love to her when her dads weren't home. At least that's what Rachel called it. Not having any experience more than that she didn't know any better. She trusted Finn more than anything. Even when her dad started asking questions, and her father started to voice concerns. She didn't listen when Mercedes and Kurt told her she was crazy to stay behind in Lima, or when Blaine begged her to at least take a small vacation to New York since they didn't get to truly enjoy it the first time. The worst of it was the night she went looking for Finn at the garage, and found Puck instead. He had been drinking, and was sitting alone with his back against a torn apart car. The night was hot, and even though Rachel was wearing shorts and a tank she felt like it still wasn't enough to cool her skin. "Hey," she started walking up to him. "Is Finn here?" Puck smirked as he downed the last of the liquid in the beer bottle. "Does he look like he's here?" Rachel sighed and rolled her eyes. "I really don't have time for your mood. Is he here or not?" "Nope," he smacked his lips together and reached down for another beer. "Well do you know where he is?" Rachel crossed her arms and stared down at him. "Nope." The bottle cap popped off and Rachel watched as Puck didn't hesitate to start gulping it down. Her eyebrows knitted together as she frowned. "You think you should be drinking in Burt's shop? Kind of disrespectful, don't you think?" "I'm pretty sure Burt's not here and I can do whatever the fuck I want to." "Ugh," Rachel shook her head. "Fine. If you see Finn, can you tell him I'm looking for him?" She turned to walk back out of the garage, but Puck had grabbed her arm. "I'm not his damn babysitter or your messenger boy!" Rachel shook his arm off and pushed him away. "What is wrong with you? You've been like this since senior year. What did I ever do to you that has you hating me so much?" Puck threw the glass bottle against the wall. "You weren't supposed to stay here in Lima. You were supposed to go off, go to New York, and become this big fucking star. What happened to that, Rach? Huh? Why are you still here? Why are you letting Hudson keep you here?" He glared at her. Her brown eyes flashed angrily up at him. "How are you! How dare you stand there and act like it's any of your business. What I do with my life is my choice, mine! I'm so sick and tired of everyone giving me their opinion when I didn't ask for it! And what's it to you any way? It's not like we've ever been friends or anything more than that." "Do you honestly think that just because we didn't hang out as friends, or that I wasn't going to go after to you anymore that I don't care about you? That I wasn't rooting for you to get the hell out of here?" Rachel's jaw dropped. She didn't know what to say. She didn't even know how to feel right then. "What is wrong with you? I don't understand why you are getting this upset about it." Puck sighed, and rubbed his hand over the top of his head. His mohawk was gone, had been for quite some time, but it was still habit to run his hand there. "I don't know. I've been drinking and I started thinking. I see you coming in, looking for Finn, and it reminds me of high school. Even though it was only months, it feels like a lifetime ago. I knew, well everyone knew, how you feel about Finn. I just never thought you'd let him keep you here. I would've..." He pressed his lips together and looked down at the floor. "Would have what, Noah?" Rachel looked at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "Never mind. It doesn't matter anymore." He looked up at her. They shared something in that moment. Neither of them knew it was nor did they understand it. They just knew they were linked in that moment. Suddenly, Rachel felt the urge to go to him and Puck felt the need to hold her. But they both stayed where they were until Rachel finally backed out of the garage without saying anything else. Puck watched her until she was gone. 


End file.
